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% THE GLASS FACTORY. %
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,,,,,,^«=% SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST %=«^,,,,,,
,,,,,^«=%& BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO &%=«^,,,,,
,,,,^«=%&& THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY &&%=«^,,,,
,,,^«=%&&£ NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES £&&%=«^,,,
,,^«=%&&£# SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN #£&&%=«^,,
,^«=%&&£## STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. ##£&&%=«^,
,,^«=%&&£# FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR #£&&%=«^,,
,,,^«=%&&£ THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, £&&%=«^,,,
,,,,^«=%&& AND A GIFT SHOP. &&%=«^,,,,
,,,,,^«=%& &%=«^,,,,,
,,,,,,^«=% THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY %=«^,,,,,,
,,,,,,,^«= MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE =«^,,,,,,,
,,,,,,^«=% CONSIDERED POOR. %=«^,,,,,,
,,,,,^«=%& &%=«^,,,,,
,,,,^«=%&& THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, &&%=«^,,,,
,,,^«=%&&£ DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN £&&%=«^,,,
,,^«=%&&£# YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, #£&&%=«^,,
,^«=%&&£## REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. ##£&&%=«^,
,,^«=%&&£# CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND #£&&%=«^,,
,,,^«=%&&£ LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE £&&%=«^,,,
,,,,^«=%&& PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, &&%=«^,,,,
,,,,,^«=%& SOME ARE SHATTERED. &%=«^,,,,,
,,,,,,^«=% %=«^,,,,,,
,,,,,,,^«= THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S =«^,,,,,,,
,,,,,,^«=% A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT %=«^,,,,,,
,,,,,^«=%& GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. &%=«^,,,,,
,,,,^«=%&& VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON &&%=«^,,,,
,,,^«=%&&£ TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF £&&%=«^,,,
,,^«=%&&£# GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. #£&&%=«^,,
,^«=%&&£## ##£&&%=«^,
,,^«=%&&£# %% #£&&%=«^,,
,,,^«=%&&£ %% %% £&&%=«^,,,
,,,,^«=%&& ««««««« % % ««««««« &&%=«^,,,,
,,,,,^«=%& %% %% &%=«^,,,,,
,,,,,,^«=% %% %=«^,,,,,,
,,,,,,,^«= =«^,,,,,,,
,,,,,,^«=% I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE %=«^,,,,,,
,,,,,^«=%& OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS &%=«^,,,,,
,,,,^«=%&& OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD &&%=«^,,,,
,,,^«=%&&£ DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS £&&%=«^,,,
,,^«=%&&£# BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF #£&&%=«^,,
,^«=%&&£## DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO ##£&&%=«^,
,,^«=%&&£# ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE #£&&%=«^,,
,,,^«=%&&£ LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK £&&%=«^,,,
,,,,^«=%&& WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. &&%=«^,,,,
,,,,,^«=%& &%=«^,,,,,
,,,,,,^«=% HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE %=«^,,,,,,
,,,,,,,^«= HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. =«^,,,,,,,
,,,,,,^«=% IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY %=«^,,,,,,
,,,,,^«=%& INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE &%=«^,,,,,
,,,,^«=%&& IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM &&%=«^,,,,
,,,^«=%&&£ WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS £&&%=«^,,,
,,^«=%&&£# OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. #£&&%=«^,,
,^«=%&&£## ##£&&%=«^,
,,^«=%&&£# THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT #£&&%=«^,,
,,,^«=%&&£ HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT £&&%=«^,,,
,,,,^«=%&& LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND &&%=«^,,,,
,,,,,^«=%& TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST &%=«^,,,,,
,,,,,,^«=% A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH %=«^,,,,,,
,,,,,,,^«= STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE =«^,,,,,,,
,,,,,,^«=% BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN %=«^,,,,,,
,,,,,^«=%& ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING &%=«^,,,,,
,,,,^«=%&& LIT FROM BEHIND. &&%=«^,,,,
,,,^«=%&&£ £&&%=«^,,,
,,^«=%&&£# I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT #£&&%=«^,,
,^«=%&&£## THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE ##£&&%=«^,
,,^«=%&&£# WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S #£&&%=«^,,
,,,^«=%&&£ LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN £&&%=«^,,,
,,,,^«=%&& ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, &&%=«^,,,,
,,,,,^«=%& AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE &%=«^,,,,,
,,,,,,^«=% OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. %=«^,,,,,,
,,,,,,,^«= =«^,,,,,,,
,,,,,,^«=% %% %=«^,,,,,,
,,,,,^«=%& %% %% &%=«^,,,,,
,,,,^«=%&& ««««««« % % ««««««« &&%=«^,,,,
,,,^«=%&&£ %% %% £&&%=«^,,,
,,^«=%&&£# %% #£&&%=«^,,
,^«=%&&£## ##£&&%=«^,
,,^«=%&&£# MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE #£&&%=«^,,
,,,^«=%&&£ STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET £&&%=«^,,,
,,,,^«=%&& IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, &&%=«^,,,,
,,,,,^«=%& IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. &%=«^,,,,,
,,,,,,^«=% IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN %=«^,,,,,,
,,,,,,,^«= DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY =«^,,,,,,,
,,,,,,^«=% CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO %=«^,,,,,,
,,,,,^«=%& SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND &%=«^,,,,,
,,,,^«=%&& PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. &&%=«^,,,,
,,,^«=%&&£ £&&%=«^,,,
,,^«=%&&£# THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT #£&&%=«^,,
,^«=%&&£## THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE ##£&&%=«^,
,,^«=%&&£# THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM #£&&%=«^,,
,,,^«=%&&£ A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS £&&%=«^,,,
,,,,^«=%&& SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING &&%=«^,,,,
,,,,,^«=%& HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I &%=«^,,,,,
,,,,,,^«=% SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO %=«^,,,,,,
,,,,,,,^«= THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. =«^,,,,,,,
,,,,,,^«=% IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL %=«^,,,,,,
,,,,,^«=%& CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE &%=«^,,,,,
,,,,^«=%&& ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. &&%=«^,,,,
,,,^«=%&&£ £&&%=«^,,,
,,^«=%&&£# THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, #£&&%=«^,,
,^«=%&&£## WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND ##£&&%=«^,
,,^«=%&&£# CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS #£&&%=«^,,
,,,^«=%&&£ BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT £&&%=«^,,,
,,,,^«=%&& FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE &&%=«^,,,,
,,,,,^«=%& BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING &%=«^,,,,,
,,,,,,^«=% DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE %=«^,,,,,,
,,,,,,,^«= TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS =«^,,,,,,,
,,,,,,^«=% DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY %=«^,,,,,,
,,,,,^«=%& FLOOR. &%=«^,,,,,
,,,,^«=%&& &&%=«^,,,,
,,,^«=%&&£ HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO £&&%=«^,,,
,,^«=%&&£# KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE #£&&%=«^,,
,^«=%&&£## LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, ##£&&%=«^,
,,^«=%&&£# WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK #£&&%=«^,,
,,,^«=%&&£ PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF £&&%=«^,,,
,,,,^«=%&& HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. &&%=«^,,,,
,,,,,^«=%& THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. &%=«^,,,,,
,,,,,,^«=% %=«^,,,,,,
,,,,,,,^«= I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM =«^,,,,,,,
,,,,,,^«=% WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO %=«^,,,,,,
,,,,,^«=%& MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A &%=«^,,,,,
,,,,^«=%&& WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS &&%=«^,,,,
,,,^«=%&&£ THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT £&&%=«^,,,
,,^«=%&&£# VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, #£&&%=«^,,
,^«=%&&£## BECOME STILL. ##£&&%=«^,
,,^«=%&&£# #£&&%=«^,,
,,,^«=%&&£ %% £&&%=«^,,,
,,,,^«=%&& %% %% &&%=«^,,,,
,,,,,^«=%& ««««««« % % ««««««« &%=«^,,,,,
,,,,,,^«=% %% %% %=«^,,,,,,
,,,,,,,^«= %% =«^,,,,,,,
,,,,,,^«=% %=«^,,,,,,
,,,,,^«=%& A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, &%=«^,,,,,
,,,,^«=%&& AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M &&%=«^,,,,
,,,^«=%&&£ BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE £&&%=«^,,,
,,^«=%&&£# STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, #£&&%=«^,,
,^«=%&&£## CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST ##£&&%=«^,
,,^«=%&&£# FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, #£&&%=«^,,
,,,^«=%&&£ SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, £&&%=«^,,,
,,,,^«=%&& AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. &&%=«^,,,,
,,,,,^«=%& &%=«^,,,,,
,,,,,,^«=% SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER %=«^,,,,,,
,,,,,,,^«= THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK =«^,,,,,,,
,,,,,,^«=% GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND %=«^,,,,,,
,,,,,^«=%& I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE &%=«^,,,,,
,,,,^«=%&& THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? &&%=«^,,,,
,,,^«=%&&£ £&&%=«^,,,
,,^«=%&&£# I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. #£&&%=«^,,
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